DODGY salesman Lee Harries found himself out of pocket after claiming he was selling cars as therapy for his depression - on doctor's orders.

He was ordered to pay a total of #1,100 in fines and costs after admitting illegally misdescribing five cars in adverts, though his defence lawyer pointed out no ordinary customers had complained.

Former factory worker Harries, 25, living in rented accommodation at Brown Street, Ferndale, with his wife and four children, pleaded guilty to 17 offences of offering to supply motor vehicles and misdescribing them.

The prosecution told Pontypridd Magistrates' Court, the defendant had advertised cars improperly for sale and misled buyers that he was a private seller when he was acting as a motor trader.

Mr Jones said the defendant had claimed his GP recommended selling cars as a therapy for depression - but the doctor had declined to give evidence in court to support that assertion.

His client was on long- term incapacity benefit for nerves, anxiety and depression, after dealing with violent arrests while working as a security guard and was in "astronomic" debt, he said.

Harries denied being a motor trader but admitted he "tinkered", with 10 cars offering them for sale on roadside sites.

He claimed he had no mechanical knowledge and didn't think use of phrases like "full service history" would improve the chances of a sale, while Mr Jones pointed out the charges related solely to five cheap vehicles that hadn't been shown as unroadworthy.

Judge Watkins said that Harries now accepted he knew his activities fell within the realm of a trade or business and said she would have imposed a conditional discharge if he had admitted his guilt earlier.